INCORPORATING REST IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE AND PREPING FOR SLEEP

Rest is a significant activity for general health. Identify periods during the day when you can be without stimulation, even doing nothing, and make time for them. Consider the following when planning rest into your schedule:

1. Power Nap. Try to get into the habit of napping 10 to 20 minutes in the afternoon, preferably lying down in a darkened room.

2. Spend some time outdoors as often as you can to get exposure to bright, natural light. If you leave in area of strong sunlight, in order to minimize harmful impact of the Sun, do it before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. or use sunscreen with SPF above 30.

3. Try to give yourself at least half an hour of dim light before you go to sleep at night. Lower the lighting in your house and bedroom. This includes exposure to computer, phone and tablet screens. Another trick we use is to wear sunglasses at home before going to sleep.

4. Reduce or avoid intake of caffeine.

5. Keep your bedroom completely dark.

6. Use stress reduction apps. For example, Mentally by Eco-Fusion (available for both iPhone and Android) is a great tool to alleviate stress which is many cases is a driver of problems falling asleep.